THE AMERICAN 



INTRODUCTION. 



UNTIL within the few last years, it is not ex- 

 travagant to say that the improvement of poul- 

 try was pretty much neglected in this country ; 

 and it is only since the year 1840 that we have 

 been aroused to an appreciation of their value. 

 It is now, however, generally admitted that the 

 rearing and keeping of poultry has become an 

 important branch of rural economy, and that 

 it is just as susceptible of improvement as any 

 other kind of farm stock, by breeding from se- 

 lected specimens. 



The beneficial results arising from this atten- 

 tion to superior parentage are already marked ; 

 and no one conversant with poultry can attend 

 our exhibitions without seeing collected evidence 

 of increased and increasing attention and im- 

 provement. At the same time, every specimen 

 affords testimony quite as apparent that much 

 yet remains to be accomplished ; and to impart 

 information how this improvement is to be 

 achieved to decide what are the defects to be 

 avoided and the excellences to be arrived at 

 to give accurate particulars of the good and bad 

 characteristics of the different varieties, and to 

 remedy the latter are the objects of this work. 



Among the novelties of the age is the ex- 

 citement that has been manifested within the 

 last few years, particularly in some of the East- 

 ern States, on the subject of improved poultry. 

 The extravagances that have grown out of it 

 have afforded the lovers of fun not a few oc- 

 casions for jest and merriment ; for not a few 

 of our notable savans in business and profes- 

 sional fame became as much absorbed with this 

 branch of research, as they would have been pre- 

 B 



viously in matters out of which fortunes were 

 to be made. Indeed we have seen these gen- 

 tlemen as much galvanized with sleeping zeai 

 to ascertain whether a particular variety of 

 fowls should have four toes or five, as in col- 

 lecting and adjusting the newly-found bones of 

 the famous sea-serpent, or of a mammoth in a 

 new locality. But it was ungenerous to laugh 

 at them for this new type of human character ; 

 for thousands as distinguished as they are have 

 evinced in relation to other matters similar 

 gushing impulses the Multicaulis speculation 

 for instance. Rarely does a year roll round 

 and pass away without leaving on its tomb-stone 

 some corresponding inscription of a new-fledged 

 zeal that marked its authors for notoriety. 



The motive which led these gentlemen into 

 such perils to their reputation was excellent. 

 The result to the community will be good with- 

 out doubt. The chaff from their harvest will be 

 blown away or burnt up, but there will be left 

 a residue for use equal to the best wheat. Im- 

 provement in the breeds of farm animals is un- 

 doubtedly one of the most rational topics that 

 has claim on the attention of the farmer. In- 

 dividuals who have distinguished themselves in 

 it and there are several in Great Britain and 

 this country have achieved a reputation for 

 themselves as undying and far more honorable 

 than that of the greatest generals the world ever 

 had. The feasibility of such improvement has 

 been demonstrated to an extent that places it 

 in the first class of objects in which successful 

 enterprise in rural economy can be promoted. 

 The principles on which such improvement is 



